Apparatus and method for separating values from value-bearing materials



06L 7, 1941. BRQMBERG 2,258,201

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SEPARA'IING VALUES FROM VALUE-BEARING MATERIALS Filed Dec. 8, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet l w 23 J2 a" Oct. 7, 1941. B. BROMBERG APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SEPARATING VALUES FROM VALUE-BEARING MATERIALS Filed Dec. 8, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 0d. 7, 1941. BRQMBERG APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SEPARATING VALUES FROM VALUE-BEARING MATERIALS Filed Dec. 8, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 7, 1941 UNITED STATE s PATENT OFFICE j F i ING .VALUES FROM VALUE-BEARING MA TERIALS I l Benjamin Bromberg,

Fairbanks Territory. of Alask ApplicationDecember 8, 1938, Serial'No. 244,875

13 Claims. This invention relates to an apparatus and method for separating or segregating free gold andnplatinum or other precious metals, having either the propertyof amalgamating with mercury or having a specific gravity greater than mercury, from the concentrates, pulp, or sands with which such metals are generally associated. More specifically, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for recovering the free values normally lost by the methods and apparatus ,now available for ,use in the separation of precious metals from value-bearing materials or concentrates, and particularly those lost in large scale placer rniningoperations carried on with dredges, drag lines, hydraulics, etc. In such operations, the black sand, pulp or other material that ,has been mined is carried by a sufficient quantity of water over aseries of variously arranged riflles, mercury traps, etc. Theoretically, in sluicing operations, the free particles of precious metal will lodge in the riflles due to their greater specific gravity, while, the gangue is carried off with the water. In practice, however, considerable quantities of fine or flaky particles of precious metals are lost by being cara qaway with the sluice water and gangue as aresult of the riflles becoming packed or substantially filled with the heavy sands associated Withgth precious metals. When the rifiles are inthe, condition above stated, an appreciable quantity of fine or flaky particles of values are precluded from settling in the riflles and are unavoidably carried out of the sluice boxes by the water together with thegangue. Thus, the loss ofvalues varies in proportion to the extent to which the-riffles have become packed with concentrates or sand. The removal of the concentrates from the rifiles requires, of course,in nearly all cases, shutting down of the operations. Even frequent cleaning up of the riflles does not solve the problem of losses, and the losses vary in proportion to the amount of concentrates present in the material being sluiced. The loss ofuvalues in the above manner is well known to those familiar'with the art and is regarded as an unavoidable loss. 9 The present invention has for itsprincipal object the recovery of those values which have been heretofore regarded. as incidental and necessary losses in the carrying on of mining: operations.

In the attempt to separate the values from the concentrates removed from the riflles, various forces and apparatus have been employed including centrifugal separators, mechanical agitators, mechanical amalgamators, etc. Such apl paratus, however; requires'moving'parts and has been found not to be entirely satisfacto'ryfor th cause of the accompanying fiouring and 'be-' segregation of values fromthe sands.

Another object of theinvention, therefore, is to provide an apparatus which is free fromwear ical agitators and which will effect a more complete segregation of the values from'the sands.

Mercury has been used in various 1 ways to segregate values from the sands, but therecov'ery is often restricted "or interfered with, depending upon the manner in which the mercury is utilized. Mercury has the peculiar characteristic of flouring when/subjected to a certaindegree' of agitation. Such fiouring results in lossof I mercury through the adherence of tiny particles thereof to the sands; While the agitation of mercury assists in amalgamation, it is undesirable because the agitation also interferes with the settlingof fine particles of platinum or other nonamalgamating' material in the body of mercury; Mercury has'thefurther objectionable property; of oxidizing inuse and forming a scum' omits, surface which interferes with amalgamation of;

the gold and the settling of values in the mercury because of its surface tension.

aThe present invention takes cognizance of the foregoing, difliculties inherent in known apparatus and obviates the same by utilizing certain principles. of hydraulics, and by giving special consideration to the specific gravities of the materials involved. ,In this connection it may be.

noted that the, specific gravity of gold and platinurn exceeds that of mercury,

[.The present invention also takes cognizance of the. tendency of gold to amalgamate with mer-. cury and permits such amalgamation, but is primarily intended to minimize the factors which interfere with the settling of values in mercury:

bygravity and to make it possiblefor the force of gravity to exert its normal efiect and aid in the separation of the precious rnetals from the concentrates. Gravityis aided in the practice of the present invention by directing a mixture of" water and the material to be treated upwardly and outwardly against the inside surface of a general cone-shaped body of mercury. The ma-' terial to be treated is preferably spread out'in a thin layer in inclined conformity with the surface of the mercury, and. thus any particles of values that have been liberated from the sand can settle; directly intothe mercury without being.

buoyed up or prevented from settling by the buoyant effect of underlying sand particles as would occur if the mass of material treated was passed substantially vertically upward through the body of mercury. The cone-shaped body of mercury thus provides, in effect, an inclined column, the exposed surface of which acts as a floor over which the sand is carried bythe sluice water.-

The upper surface of the body of mercury is maintained displaced in an inclined position during operation by a substantiallyconstant pressure exerted thereon by the sluicewater-and the con The inclination of said surface is such centrates.

vention may be practiced with or without the use of mercury below the water riffles.

Hence, another object of the invention is to provide a novel method and apparatus for effecting separation of values or mercury from sands by subjecting the sands to the action of fine hydraulic sprays under a desired predetermined re. 7 rfgther object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus whereby values may be continuously, quickly, efficiently and cheaply reas to aid any oxide or scum thereon to be carried along with the sands and water to theedge of the mercury zone to be ultimately discharged" with the sluice water and treated sands. .The

surface of the mercury to be traversed by the sands is thus kept clean and any values of greater specific gravity than the mercury can readily enter said mercury, being assisted in this action by the weight of the sand andthe actionof the sand in'movinglupwards. j r i An: important feature of the invention which will .be apparent from the foregoing is that as the sand being treated travels outwardly .withthe sluice water. it gradually spreads over a progressivelyincreasing area of mercury. This spreading out of the sand facilitates the separation of r 1 I tersecting sprays forming, in effect, a water rifile.

functioning to cause any valuesor mercury particles to descend by gravity) The invention further contemplates the provision of a body ofmercurybelow the water'r-ifiles with which the mercury particle'scan'unite and into which the values can subside." l J l a The spray treatmentof the sands" after they haveleft the substantially conical body of mercury is based upon the principle that matter may be held in suspension by suitable turbulence; the" greater the turbulent force, the heavierthe' particle that may be suspended. In accordance with the presentinvention, two fine streams or sprays of water are directed toward each other from generally opposite directions, whereby a neutral or pressureless area is formed in the meeting waters of the two sprays. I The material be ing treated (is preferably flowed onto the top of these sprays by the sluice water. By properly regulating the pressureof the sprays, the values and the particles of mercury present will be 'permitted to settle through this area, while the V lightersan-d will be buoyedup and carried away by the sluice water andthe. spent spray, water. This principle of a water rifile may be applied to recover previous metals or mercury from con.cen-- trates without the provision of a body of mercury belowthe meeting portions of the sprays. For. convenience, three ,waterjriffies have been indicated .inthepresent drawings, and-Va body of mercury. has: been. shown beneath each water riflie. It is to be understood, however, that anyv number of water riflles may be provided and that the in- E-co'vered.

Other valuable and useful objects and advantages of the'invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

It will be understood that the present invention contemplates the use of the apparatus and method disclosed herein for the recovery of values not only from sands which have been specially selected for treatment, but further contemplates use in large scale mining operations such as referred to hereinabove for the continuous procuring of recoverable values from the sands as these V are nowv are mined, and to save such values as regarded as an unavoidable loss. 7 I In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a'more or less diagrammatic vertical sectional [view of an apparatus suitable for practicing the principles of the present inven tion; I V

I Figure 2 is a plan view of in Figure 1; I r

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the l ne 3-3 ofFigure 1; f

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional View takenon the line 44 of Figure 2;.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 55 'of Figure 2; and I Figure 6 is a fragmentary detached perspective view showing certain details of theapparatus.

It will be understood that portions of these views have been shown to greatly exaggerated scale for the sake of clarity.

Referring now to Figure 1, the main body por-: tion of the separating apparatus is'generally indicated by the numeral I, and is concentrically arranged relatively to a substantially bowl-shaped casing member 2. The casing member 2 11s adapted to contain'water' under pressure 'for'a; purpose whichwill be explained more fully here=- inafter. A packingelement 3 is disposed between the separator body 'I ,and the casing 2 and forms a water-tight sealbetw'ee'n' said body and easing) A cap member generally indicated by 4, provided the body member. I.

with a plurality of generally radially extending rigid arms 5, is also arranged concentric with the body I. The arms 5 are provided with vertical extremities 6 which engage the outer periphery'of These extremities of the arms may be secured to the body-member I by means of screws 1, or any equivalent fastening means. r

The separator body I is provided with a depending hollow column 8 constituting a wellfor a body of mercury 9. The interior of the column 8 merges with a generally conical recess I0 formed in the upper face of the body member I. The cap member 4 is provided with a complementary conical portion H adapted to be disposed in theconical recess H1 in the manner indicated in Figurel. f

The cap member 4 has a central-opening l2 and a pluralityof water chambers l3 and- I4 sur rounding said opening. 'A water feed pipe '15 communicates with the interior of the upper the apparatus shown:

andacircumferential slot I6 arrangedepproxi mately in a plane common to theupper'surfaceof the body member I-provid esmeans Ioregress'of a spray or jet of water from said chamber. A- waterpipe I I communicates withthe lower chamber I4 tosupplywaterthereto. The water from the chamber I4 flows out throughan opening I8 at the lower end thereof and is directed outward-1y byabaiile I9.

"Asection of tubing is arranged abovethe central opening I2 to conduct sand, pulp, or other material to --be treated into the apparatus from any convenient source. 1 L "The body I is preferably provided with a series of'circumferentially spaced ports 2I arranged adjacent to the outer periphery thereof, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 6. A second series of ports 22 is spaced radially inwardly from the ports '2I and staggered relatively thereto. A series of substantially tubular passageways 23 connect the ports 2| with the column 8, and generally similar pasaageways 24 connect ports 22 with said column, as best shown in Figure 3.

The bodymember I is further provided with a plurality of concentrically arranged water passageways 25, 26 and 21. The lower portions of thesepassageways communicate directly with the interior ofthe casing 2. The upper face of the body member I is provided with grooves 28 and 29 concentrically arranged between the water passageways 25, 26 and 21, as bestshown in Figure 4. The outermost side walls of these grooves serve as rifil'es. An annular baffle plate 3!! is arranged directly above the water passageway so as to direct fine sprays of water radially outwardly toward the groove 28 and radially inwardly toward a space3I formed between the recess Ill and the conical portion II of the cap 4, as indicated by the arrows. A second annular baffle plate 32 overlies the Water passageway 26 and deflects water sprays toward the grooves 28 and 29, as

further indicated by the arrows. A third annular baffle plate 33 overlies the water passageway 21 and serves to direct aspray of water inwardly toward the groove 29. The annular baffles 3i and 32 may be spaced from the body member I by short collars 34, suitably secured to the passageways 25 and 26, see Figure 6. Screws 35 may be used to secure the bafile plates 30 and 32 in assembled relation to the collars 34 and the body memberI. The bafile plates 39, 32 and 33 may be made integral with the body I instead of separate, if desired.

The groove 29 connects the ports 2i, and the groove 28 connects the ports 22, as shown in Figures 2 and 5. These grooves are preferably made deepest adjacent the ports, as indicated at 36, and shallow intermediate the ports as indicated at 31, thus providing sloping portions for a purpose fully explained hereinafter.

A piece of flexible tubing 39 is disposed within thecolumn 8, as shown in Figure 1. One end 40 of this tubing communicates with the interior of the casing 2 and the opposite end of said tubing is connected with a spraying device 4i floatingly supportedby the mercury 9. A pipe 42 is connected with the casing 2 and serves to sup-ply water under pressure to said casing. A gland generally indicated at 43 forms a seal between 23-and -24 and tne rime grooves 28 and 29. linas much. as thechamber -l4-is not under pressure at this time, the mercury can rise into "this chain: her. "A "valve 44- is' secured to thelower end of the c'olumn 8 to prevent the mercury from now-: ing out of the system. I I The operation of the afor'edescr-ibed apparatus is as follows: l r I l 1 l The value-bearing material is red by gravity" through the pipe 20 fro1n a sluice box or'other source into-the opening I2 in the cap membe'r t A- column of a predetermined height of this ma: terial is preferably maintained sufiicienttd'displace a portion of-the mercury 9'andcause i'ts level -to rise in thespace-3I, ohamber-l4 and in the grooves 28and 29. The value-bearing male terial will naturally force the floating 'sprayl4l downwardly-asit displacesthe mercury in the recess- I0? -Water under-pressure is now intro ducedinto the chamber I4 throughthe pi-pe I'I and this water forces the mercury which has risen in the chamber I4 out into the recess 10. Since the mercury is in-fiuid condition, it will seek a common level in. the space 3I and the grooves 28 and 29. l The pressure of the-water introduced by passing outwardly, thewater under pressure further displaces the mercury to provide an exit for itself f l (3. I Water under pressure is next'introduced into the casing 2 throughlth'e pipe 42 and-the pressure is sufficient to cause thewater-flowing from the spray device M to carry the value-bearing sand or other material outwardly and upwardly into the space 3 I. At the same time,- the water intro duced through the pipe I! into the chambei l4 will flow therefrom through the opening I 8 above the member I9. Thiswater aids in carrying the value-bearing sands outwardly and upwardly across the upper surface of the now inclined'bod of mercury in the recess I0. 1 The pipe I5, as previously stated, communicates with the chamber I3--and providesa sou-roe of water to establish a fine spray outwardly through the slot I6 "to opposethe spray-issuing from beneath the baffle 30, as indicated in Fig; 4;- It will be understood from-the foregoing that the height of the columnof value-beai ingmate rial above the opening I2 is such as -to prevent the water discharging from the spray 4| from carrying said material upwardly and out of the opening I2. The water and value-bearing mate} rial are, thereforejorced tomove outwardly under the element I9 beyond which they are supplemented by additional water flowing through the passageway I8. This additional water isunder substantially. constant'pressure and assists in flattening the body of mercury in the recess I0 into a film of substantial thickness. In 'view of the fact that the water and the sands are "of less specific gravity than mercury, and in view-of the further fact that water is immiscible with mer cury, a mixed layer of water and =value-bearing material will be interpositioned between the film of mercury and the conical portion I I ofthe 'cap 4.- The value-bearing particles may be said to be buoyantly supported; by the. film of mercury and are forced upwardly-and outwardly against the frictionalresistance to flow offered by the mercury withthe water to ultimately rise to the mouth of the opening 3|. The value-bearing particles, upon being forced to flow upwardly and outwardly, are caused to .scour or scuff each other, thereby freeing any values which have adhered thereto. At the same time, if there is any oxidepresent on thesurface of the mercury it will be carried along with the water and sands. The progressively increasing area of mercury encountered as the sands move away from the opening l2'permits the sand to spread or thin out, .thus making it easier for values to find their way into the mercury by gravity or amalgamation. These valuesgradually work their way down the inclined surface of the recess I due to the slight turbulence created by the action of the water, and eventually find their way into the column 8. Thesand or other material from which the values have been removed'is discharged at the mouth of the space 3| and is here subjected to opposed sprays from the slot IG-and baifie 30. The object of the opposed sprays is to remove at this stage any values or particles of mercury that may be clinging to the sands. Any values removed at this point can, of course, settle into the film of mercury, in the space 3 I The cap 4 has a portion 45 extended above the body I for the purpose of preventing the sand or other material from being washed inwardly over the cap. The continuous flow of water from the space 3|, the slot l6 and the opening causes the particles of sand or other material to be carried radially outwardly over the baflle into the rifile groove 28. Here, the sand or other material is subjected to the action of the water riflle produced bythe fine sprays issuing from under the baflles 30 and 32. Further spraying at this point isintended to loosen anysvalues or mercury which may be clinging to the sand. Further spraying is. accorded the sands as they meet another wa-' terriifle above the groove 29. Any values removed at these points can settle into the mercury in the rifllegrooves 28 and 29 and eventually worktheir way down the inclined portions of the groovesto the ports 2] and 22 and through the tubes 23 and 24 to be ultimately collected in the column 8. I

The sands or other material are ultimately carried radially outwardly overthe baffle 33 into a trough 46 surrounding the body I. Material from the trough 46 may be carried off to be discharged in any suitable manner. While the foregoing separating operation is occurring, the valve 44 is preferably opened and a second valve 48 disposed therebelow is maintained closed.v With this arrangement, the recovered values will settle in the column 8 above the valve 48 and when it is desired to remove these values, the valve 44 may be closed and the valve 48 opened to drain the values into any suitable containen While the apparatus and method described herein are particularly well adapted for the separation of impure gold and platinum from sand,

etc, such gold as is amalgamated will, of course,

ed into the system.

While I have described and illustrated'apref-jferred embodiment and method of praeticing 'the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be restricted beyond the scope re; quired by the appended claims: I I

I claim: a

1. The method of separating values ,from value-bearing materials which comprisesffeeding concentrates onto a body of mercury, mixing. water with said concentrates at the surface ot said body of mercury to flow the same in the. form of a stream, maintaining at leasta portion of said body of mercury in an inclined posie. tion, and causing said concentrates to travel upwardly over the upper surface of the, inclined portion of the mercury, 1

2. An apparatus for separating :values from value-bearing materials comprising, a pair of bodies having opposed surfaces spaced. apart to form an upwardly and outwardly inclined pas-,

sageway therebetween, a body of mercury ex-,

tending into said passageway and normally. substantially filling the same, means for admitting value-bearing material through one of said bodies onto said body of mercury, and means floatingly supported by said body of mercury opposite said value-bearing admitting meansfor introducing water under pressure to carry said value-bearing materials through said passage,- way over said body of mercury.

3. An apparatus for separating values from value-bearing materials comprising a body mem-v ber, a cap member spaced from said body mem--, ber, said body and cap having opposed surfaces forming an upwardly and outwardly inclined pas: sageway therebetween, a body of mercury ;ex-, tending into said inclined passageway and-normally substantially filling the same, means for introducing value-bearing materials onto said body of mercury in the form of a column, and means for introducing water under pressure at the base of said column to wash away the base of said column and to carry said value-bearingmaterials upwardly and outwardly through said passageway over said body of mercury.

4. An apparatus for separating values from value-bearing materials comprising, a body member, a well in said body member, a body of'mercury in said well, a cap member superimposed upon said body of mercury and having anup wardly and outwardly inclined lower face, means for admitting value-bearing materials onto said body of mercury, and means for introducing water under pressure to provide a vehicle for carrying said value-bearing materials in an upward and outward directionbetween the lower face of said cap member and said body of mere cury.

5. An apparatus for separating values from value-bearing materials comprising, a pair ,of superposed bodies spaced apart to form apassageway therebetween, one of said bodies having an upwardly and outwardly inclined lower face forming a wall of said passageway; a body of mercury extending into said passageway .aind normally substantially filling the same, means for introducing value-bearing materials onto said body of mercury adjacent theentrance of-said passageway, means for introducing water under pressure adjacent the entrance of said passagee way to carry said value-bearing materialeoute wardly through said passageway between said inclined surface and said body of mercury, and means for providing sprays of water at the exit of said passageway.

6. An apparatus for separating values from value-bearing materials comprising, a body member, a well in said body member including a recess having a generally concave bottom wall portion, a cap member having a lower generally convex wall portion spaced from the bottom wall of said recess and sloping upwardly and outwardly, a body of mercury in said well normally substantially filling the space between said body and cap members, an opening in said cap member for admitting value-bearing materials onto said body of mercury, and a passageway in said cap member for introducing water under pressure into said recess to provide a vehicle for carrying said value-bearing material over said body of mercury in an upward and outward direction.

7. In an apparatus for separating values from value-bearing materials comprising, a pair of bodies spaced apart to form a passageway therebetween, one of said bodies having an upwardly and outwardly inclined lower face, a body of mercury extending into said passageway alnd normally substantially filling the same, means for introducing value-bearing materials onto said body of mercury adjacent the entrance of said passageway, means for introducing water under pressure adjacent the entrance of said passageway to carry said value-bearing materials upwardly and outwardly through said passageway over said body of mercury, and a riflle groove in the other of said bodies disposed in the path of the discharge from said passageway.

8. An apparatus for separating values from value-bearing materials comprising, a body member, a second member spaced from said body member to form a passageway therebetween, said second member having an upwardly and outwardly inclined lower face, a well communicating with said passageway, a body of mercury in said well and extending into said passageway and normally substantially filling the same, means for introducing value-bearing materials onto said body of mercury adjacent the entrance of said passageway, means for introducing water under pressure adjacent the entrance of said passageway to carry said value-bearing materials upwardly and outwardly through said passageway over said body of mercury, a rifiie groove in said body member, arranged in the path of the discharge from said passageway, and a body of mercury in said rifile groove.

9. An apparatus for separating values from value-bearing materials comprising, a body member, a second member spaced from said body member to form a passageway therebetween, said second member having an upwardly and outwardly inclined lower face, a well communicating with said passageway, a body of mercury in said well and extending a substantial distance into said passageway, means for introducing value-bearing materials onto said body of mercury adjacent the entrance of said passageway, means for introducing water under pressure adjacent the entrance of said passageway to carry said value-bearing materials upwardly and outwardly through said passageway over said body of mercury, a rifiie groove in said body member, arranged in the path of the discharge from said passageway, a body of mercury in said riille groove, and means providing a passageway from said riflie groove to said well.

10. An apparatus for separating values from value-bearing materials comprising, a body member, a second member spaced from said body member to form a passageway therebetween,

. said second member having an upwardly and outwardly sloping lower face, a well communicating with said passageway, a body of mercury in said well and extending a substantial distance into said passageway, means for introducing valuebearing materials onto said body of mercury adjacent the entrance to said passageway, means for introducing water under pressure adjacent the entrance of said passageway to carry said value-bearing materials upwardly and outwardly through said passageway over said body of mercury, a riflie groove in said body member arranged in the path of the discharge from said passageway, a body of mercury in said riflie groove, and means for subjecting said discharge to the action of sprays of water under pressure as it passes over said riflie groove.

11. An apparatus for separating values from a mixture of water and value-bearing sand or other material comprising, a body having a riilie groove formed therein, said body being arranged so that said mixture must flow in substantially sheet form over said riffle groove, and means for directing fine sprays of water from generally opposite directions against said sand or other material as it flows over the riflie groove, one of said sprays being projected in a direction generally opposite to that of the flow of said mixture.

12. An apparatus for separating values from a mixture of water and value-bearing sand or other material comprising, a plurality of substantially horizontal plates spaced apart and arranged so that the mixture of water and valuebearing material must pass thereover in succession, and means for directing sprays of water under pressure against said mixture as it flows from one plate toward the next plate.

13-. The method of separating values from value-bearing materials which comprises feeding a column of value-bearing materials onto a body of mercury, continuously washing away the base of said column of materials, and then passing the washed away materials over the surface 01 said body of mercury.

BENJAMIN BROMBERG. 

